Daq & the Spyder's Promise
by Fahlyndra Sky
Summary: This isn't my faveorite story I've written. It doesn't suck as much as some, but it ain't wonderful. With that in mind, please R&R. Rating is for some mild swearing.


**Silly little disclaimer** - I don't own NeoPets.com or anything else the godly Adam & Donna create. I wish I did, because then I wouldn't have to write dumb fan fics like this one.  
  
**Author's Note** - Yeah, yeah, I got a author's note. I take NP seriously. With that in mind, don't bother flaming me about writing s**t about a dumb web site. In fact, don't flame _anyone_ for that. This story isn't the one you'd find beside some cheesy adoption story in the NT. It has some violence. It has swearing. It has raw sex between two cartoons. Okay, exnay on the last one, I suck at lemons. I've had a few emails from another site where my stories are posted (I have a series starring this lil dude usul) wondering what his real name was so they could look him up. It's __Daquin__ folks. :) Also, you can't find petpets on the ground - It doesn't happen. Just read already...  
  
Daq & the Spyder's Promise  
  
By Fahlyndra/ PurpleMoon16  
  
I never really wanted a petpet. I didn't ask, or beg, or even look in the shop windows. Here is a explanation why, not another excuse by Daquin the Jerk...  
  
I sat watching Dezdaemona, my wonderful girl friend, feed crayons to Dino, her little Uggatrip. He munched on them, making several loud cracks like snapping twigs. He looked at me & grinned a very rainbow smile. I smiled back, feeling like I was about to lose my omelettle breakfast. Not a very manly thing to do, especially since I'm a male usul. Being a macho usul is not easy. But I pull it off well.  
  
Anyways, while I sat there looking rather quezy, Dez calmly patted Dino on the head. I checked my watch & almost fainted. "Shit, I gotta go, sorry!"  
  
Once again, I had missed curfew by a hour. Dez simply giggled, in her airhead way I loved, then bolted, still trying to pull my back pack on. I dashed through the thin woods, & ran down Main Street.  
  
But I knew even a shortcut wouldn't save me now. The streetlights were on, & Luna knew I had my watch when I left the house. A million excuses rushed into my head & quickly formed a mosh pit on my brain. "I lost my watch... (just make more trouble. Losing a 500 NP Neoke watch isn't a _good_ excuse) I forgot my curfew was still in effect... (Haha, riiiiight Daqqy-poo, she only made you promise a million times to be back before 10:00)... Me & Dez were busy w/ school work... (She'll think you busy alright... Do you want her to hate Dez more than she already does?!) Um, a grarrl tried to eat me? (nah, used that one before...)". It was then I realized that simple, spur- of-a-moment lies wouldn't save me either. I needed solid evidence, unless I just wanted to face the wraith of a mother who had been crossed too many times.  
  
I stopped running, my feet slapping soundly against the deserted sidewalk. Hmmm...now to find a solid answer to why I was late. I passed a alley, & that's about the time the thing fell on my head.  
  
"WHAAAA-AHHHHHH!!!" I flailed my arms & screamed like a girl, but the thing still held on tight to my backwards baseball hat.  
  
"That's it!", I yelled & threw my hat away from me. "Wheeew..."  
  
Then a screen fell down in front of me, reading:  
  
"You find a Spyder on the sidewalk!"  
  
Beside the short description was a picture of a ugly, hairy animal with a million red eyes. I cringed & then looked over at my favorite hat. It just sat there, not moving. So, feeling slightly ashamed of being afraid of whatever a "Spyder" was. If it was a monster, or a thief, it would have simply done whatever & run away. And usually finding something was supposed to be cool... So I tossed aside my fears & nudged it with the toe of my sneaker, being sure to jerk it back fast.  
  
For a moment nothing moved, & I was about to pick my hat up & put it over my girly ears, when a tiny thing like what had been on the screen crawled out from under it. It looked up at me, then purred. Yes, purred. Looking at something like that, you'd never expect it to purr. My mouth fell open & I could only stare at it. It scurried over on it's eight hairy legs & looked up at me. I simply stared, then tentivly waved down at it.  
  
It took a few more steps my way, & I couldn't help but shudder. The thing was ugly. I guess it picked up some bad vibes from my body language, cause it started to cry. Little weak sobs came from it's mouth, which was behind two trembling pincher-type things. I sighed, because by then I'd realized it must be a live thing (duuuuh), not a item or food.  
  
Which meant one thing - a petpet.  
  
"Shit..."  
  
It perked up at once & grinned up at me. Boy, what an ugly grin that was... Almost an evil one.  
  
I thought to myself, weighing one thing against another. "If I bring this home to Luna, she'll definatly let me slip on the curfew. But, that'll mean keeping the little beast. And caring for it (what does a thing like that eat)... And bathing it (no way am I taking that thing in the shower)... And sleeping with it (what if it's the snuggling type?!)..."  
  
That conference with myself settled it. I was leaving it there. I didn't want any pet, but especially not this one! I squatted down so me & the creature where almost eye-to-eye. "Now listen here, lil fella. I don't want - I mean, I can't," I rephrased it when I saw him look about to cry again, "take you home. Luna, uh... doesn't like animals! She'd make me take ya right back here, so ya see - AHHHH!!"  
  
That was when the little hairy bastard squirted some kind of burning stuff into my face. I fell over onto my back, clawing at my flaming eyes. I heard some scuffling sounds, which must've been it walking over. I felt some silky feeling junk covering my feet, then my legs, going up to my chest & around my arms. I screamed again, hoping someone would happen to come along, but no one did. Just my rotten luck... I opened my eyes, no matter how much it burned, just in time to see the ropes from the Spyder's mouth wrap around my head. All I could see was white, vast white...  
  
I guess that stuff that bugger sprayed into my face must've been something more than the petpet version of pepper spray, cause I blacked out. I dreamed I was in a swamp, with flies buzzing all over me, knee deep in mud. I heard bats, or something flapping around, everywhere. And the smell was so tremendous, so real - hey wait!  
  
I swam back into reality, like you do after a very real nightmare, but felt as though my eyes were glued shut. I spat out some of that web stuff, then began to flex & wiggle my eyelids in a attempt to open them. Finally I got half of my left one open, but that was enough to scare me. What I saw seemed to be straight out of a horror movie. All around me were Spyders, all hissing & staring at me. Hanging from the ceiling, sitting on boxes, clinging to the walls, & other debris on them.  
  
I mumbled something that might've been "Momma", then glanced about nervously. My surroundings were pretty swamp-like, except much more unpleasant. I stood knee deep in muck, but not the dirt kind. I immediately knew I was in a sewer, both from the smell, & the concrete tunnel around me. My quarters were dimly lit by torches, & one or two candles. And luminescent eyes... red, glowing eyes.  
  
I was breathing pretty hard, but about had a heart attack when three of the beasts clambered down from their perches & crawled over to me. I pushed myself away from them, but only managed a few inches. They formed a line, looking like soldiers & stood before me. The one in the middle, which I recognized as my old pal, began to speak in a raspy voice, that sounded straight out of the Tomb of Evil.  
  
"Pathetic pet, what do you seek?" He cocked his "head" at me, as though waiting for me to respond. I could only reply with a dry squeak. The one on the end looked annoyed, then told the first that it was a waste of time. My Spyder hissed at him, then sent a stream of that stuff his way. The third danced away into the shadows, hissing in return.  
  
"Come now! Answer me or I shall kill thee!"  
  
I trembled. Yes, away from a thing many pounds lighter, & much, MUCH shorter. Not to mention talking like he had had several grim tea parties with Shakespere. I coughed, trying to regain my voice, got it, then answered him, "Um, nothing, really."  
  
He looked shocked, "You wish nothing? No infinite neo points, a huge neohome, thee best battle items? Or perhaps... a gorgeous girl?" My mouth formed an "O", & a crafty grin broke out on his hideous face, making it even worse. He dashed forward, faster than lightning, right up my trapped body. I bucked like a mad kau, trying to fling him off, but tiny claws kept him hanging on.  
  
"I see I've struck a cord with you. So, Daquin, son of Luna, you desire a girl. Pray tell, what is her name?" He hissed is a deadly whisper.  
  
I moaned, wishing I'd headed home. Anything was better than this, even a banshee mother. And worse, was the fact I'd never told him my name, much less my mother's. And even worse, a thought that he could read minds was creeping into my head.  
  
"Hmmm... Guess it won't be easy with you. No matter." His red eyes glowed bright purple, then a fiery yellow. There was a bright flash in my mind, as though a copy machine had went off. "I see... yessss..."  
  
His eyes returned to their hardly normal red. "Cutie? What a pretty name." He sneered at me, showing dripping fangs that pointed outward. "I can give you her... And your freedom... For a price."  
  
I shuddered, because I wanted out of this mess, & because, well... I did like Cutie. But, I some how knew that whatever price this vile creature wanted me to pay, it wasn't worth it. Even if it meant rotting down here.  
  
He sniffed at me, then did his weird mind reader thing over again. A snarl came from him & leapt up to my shoulder, then touched his fangs to my neck. I moaned, feeling nauseous. Then, his voice came again, a evil, harsh whisper.  
  
"Pay the price, & go free. And be happy. Or," He pressed them in a little harder, about to draw blood. I felt like crying, but I couldn't do that. I had to be a man.  
  
Okay, maybe I balked a little.  
  
"Alright, alright, alright, alright!" I mean, get out of here, finally have a chance with a hottie... Sounds good to me! The mouth closed, & he scuttled back down my tense body, back next to the first Spyder, looking quite pleased.  
  
"Then lets discuss the legalities of our little deal." His buddy snickered at this, "ONE! You will agree to everything I say. TWO! No one shall ever hear of this encounter. THREE! Give your girl friend a kiss for me." He smiled that same sick un-pet smile. I growled & tried to break free, but those cords were like steel.  
  
"Tsk tsk, little Daqqy-poo!" I froze my struggling when I heard him say my sister's nickname for me. "Good. Now," He hissed acidly, "Do you agree?"  
  
I wanted to say no, scream it, but I knew I wouldn't - couldn't. "Okay... I agree." My heart sank as his laughter, maniacal & crazy, rang loudly in the tunnel, booming all around.  
  
"RELEASE THE PRISNOR!!"  
  
I fell into the muck, almost drowning from the numbness in all my limbs. Finally, I shoved myself up & shook off some of the disgusting stuff from the sewer. "Remember Daq, if you break any of these rules I've set forth, be assured - You will regret it."  
  
My vision of the small thing & the rest of the room swam, then totally went blank & I fell into the merciful blackness...  
  
The first thing I was aware of was warmth. Sweet, sweet warmth. I snuggled closer to it. "Daq?! Are you awake, oh please, please Daqqy-poo, wake up!"  
  
A image of a white usul swam before me, looking worried, close to tears. "L- l-l-luna? Is that you?"  
  
I was smothered by a hug. My sister was crying, & saying my normally embarrassing, but now wonderful nickname, over & over. "Okay Luna, okay! Please, I-I-I can't breath!"  
  
She let go then, smiling like crazy. "Oh, little brother! We were sooo worried!"  
  
I had to smile at this. Of course she was worried, but I doubted anyone else was. Maybe Luna... But not Cute, my bruce bro, since he & I had always fought. Or Mintz, my kacheek bro, who looked at me as the family's black sheep. And Cy probably didn't even know anything had happened. She had left for Faerieland, hoping to be blessed by the Fire Faerie, her idol, & rarely wrote.  
  
Luna woke me up from my thoughts with a few simple words, "-wife has been waiting for you to get up too!"  
  
"WIFE?!" I sat up from my bed so quick, Luna yelped. "Last time I checked, I wasn't married!" I hopped up & grabbed my clothes, & my hat from the chair back, where I always left it. Something was up, & I was sure it had something to do with that terrible den of Spyders.  
  
I was about to slam open the door, & hurry back to where I first met the dangerous thing, but was tackled by a blur of purple, pink, & cream. I didn't have to be a rocket scientist to know it was Cutie, I smelled her perfume. And her fevered kisses assured me the Spyder had granted my "wish" of having the girl of my dreams. "DAQ! Are you alright?! I was sure you were hurt, or dieing... Oh, are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine!" As much as I hated to, I pushed her off & got to my feet. I didn't offer a helping hand, or a explanation, just continued on my way to the front door. I'd hardly went two feet down the hall when her arms wrapped around my waist. "Daq, oh, Daq! What is the matter with you?"  
  
"Exactly what I should be asking you, Cutie. Don't you know you're married to Ruki, not me? That I passed up my only chance, long ago?" I sighed & pried her arms off me, then continued forward. I couldn't even begin to explain what had happened, until I knew myself. And the Spyder's warning kept returning to me...  
  
"Uh, dear?" I couldn't help it... "Where did whoever find me?"  
  
She stepped around me, faced me. "Luna found you on the sidewalk, next to the mailbox, when she went out for her Sunday jog. That was a few hours ago. You were passed out, & smelling like kau dung!"  
  
Her head tipped to the floor doubtfully, "We thought at first you were drinking or something..."  
  
I snorted in disgust & shoved her out of my way. To think, I would never just pass out by the mail box!  
  
"Are you sure you're alright?" Even with her brow furrowed with worry, wrinkles in the making, she was lovely. How I wished she really were my wife...  
  
"I said I'm fine!! I'm leaving..." I stopped at her eyes filling with tears, her lower lip already trembling. Exactly how she had looked before, when I'd - No time for playing shoulda-coulda-woulda! I had to hurry, before I actually accepted this as reality. It wouldn't take much.  
  
"Don't worry about me, Cutie." I put one paw on her shoulder, then pulled her into a hug. "Please, I'm fine..." But she was already sobbing. I hated myself.  
  
I pushed her back a little, not as hard. "I'm going to go now, but I'll be back. Don't worry about me..." I had to say it, it was my only chance to, even if it was fake & the real Cutie would never know. "I love you."  
  
I marched by her, down the hall, then out the door. The sun shined, birds chirped, & the whole thing felt unreal. I shook my head - hard. It felt like I had something that didn't exactly belong in there. Or as though something had been stolen. The mailbox was directly in front of me, & I knew what was next to it. A sewer grate.  
  
I hurried into the shed, searching franticly for what I needed. Finally I found a crowbar & a flashlight, which was perfect for lifting up, & exploring what lay beneath, sewer grates. Racing back to the side walk, I glanced at the house. Cutie & Luna were at the window, with identical looks of confusion on their faces. I shifted the heavy (hey, I'm kinda weak) crowbar to my left hand & waved as cheerily as I could. They disappeared from behind the curtains, & a moment later ran out the door.  
  
"What are ya'll doing?! Cutie, I told you that I'd be back! Now, go back in the house!" I growled in frustration, then marched over to the grate & began to try & lift the iron plate.  
  
A hand fell onto my shoulder & was followed by, "Let me do that sug." Cutie took my hand away from the tool with a sweet smile at my disbelief, then popped it open like a jar of olives. "There ya are."  
  
She walked off swinging the crowbar like a baton, back into the house. Luna shrugged, then followed her. I could only stare after them in shock. Finally, I shook myself awake & remembered what I had to do.  
  
I stared down into a black hole, the light only going down a few feet. With the flashlight, I could see my scared looking reflection in the mucky water flowing. Also, it showed that there was no ladder. Which went I would have to hop right in. Holding back the urge to barf, & the knowledge that I had no idea of where I was going, or what I would do if I did find the beasts, I shoved the light into my shirt & went feet first into the black.  
  
SPLASH! Instantly I was being carried away, rather quickly, from the circle of light... & my last chance with Cutie.  
  
I splashed around, never being much of a swimmer. Under the water, above, back & forth... The nasty water in my mouth, ears, nose...  
  
I slammed into the side, found a pipe & clung on. Finally, I clambered over the concrete edge, & instantly felt revulsion. I swiped away some slime, knowing I probably looked like the Creature From the Black Lagoon. "This is fucking stupid!"  
  
I stomped forward, not really noticing how much narrower the tunnel got, or how the modern concrete gave way to moldy bricks. I was angry. More than angry, I was enraged. I thought to myself out loud, "What am I DOING?! I'm standing in a sewer, covered in who-knows-what filth, when I could be back home - "  
  
"Greetings Daquin. I knew you'd return." I froze at the voice. I looked around, then grabbed my light & clicked it on, waving it around wildly. What I saw was the same den, minus one usul dangling into the muck in the middle.  
  
"I thought we had an agreement, but I guess you misunderstood." I trembled, painfully aware how loud my breathing was. "Now, what do you return for?"  
  
He tipped his head down, but I still saw the eyes change, all hundred or so, & felt the scan in my head. "You have a wish, it remains the same, but - " He looked worried. "I granted that already Daq. Are you not happy?"  
  
I shook my head, & got into my fighter's stance that Cy had taught me before she left to train. We'd had play battles, which always left me tired & beaten, since my stats were hardly up to par with her's. But, surely I could defeat puny, one pound-ers... That spit poison, were super-fast, & were a mini-army? Who was I kidding? "You bet."  
  
He smiled crazily, then continued as though nothing had happened. "I gave you what you wanted, so tell me, why come back?" He looked amused, "Don't tell me that you actually don't want your way? That you want things to be unfair to you? ANSWER ME!!"  
  
The hate burned in my heart, mixed with love, & confusion. I ducked low, then charged blasting him with my deadly usul eyes. I struck him; hard. He flew backwards, slamming into the wall with a low "hffff" sound. I panted, surprised at my own power. Swiping away some sweat, I walked over, aware of all the red eyes in the darkness watching, & looked down at the Spyder.  
  
It looked like a crumpled black rag. So much for being so tough. I shrugged, then turned away to go back to the hole & find a way out, back to the light.  
  
"Lower...the...prisoners..."  
  
"DAAAA-ACK!!"  
  
I whirled around to see Cutie & Luna being lowered into my previous predicament; hanging in those weird cocoons from the ceiling. The pair swung around in lazy circles, giving me a glance at their terrified faces. And worst of all, was that strange rustling of the Spyders coming down from their roosts, surrounding two of the most important women in my life. I felt helpless, & could only stand their, staring as they landed in the muddy pit w/ a "splat", the stuff splashing onto their silky fur.  
  
"Ah, ah, ah..."  
  
I whirled around. The spyder ticked one claw at me in a mock example of disappointment. "Daquin, did you really think I'd let you go that easy?" The guy I'd slammed into the wall looked good as new, & very smug. "Now, it won't be just you paying the price. It'll be them too."  
  
Once again my anger flooded in. I looked from the spyders, to Luna, to Cutie. And last, to the leader.  
  
"What do you want?" I growled back, glad to see a small look of surprise cross his confident face. "Come & get it."  
  
I cracked my knuckles, then charged. But he was ready this time & jumped back onto the wall. Then, after dodging a thin stream of poison, I launched myself again, trying to stun him with the only attack I knew; a Usul Stare.  
  
*CRACK!* My head met the wall, not a psycho spyder. "Uhhhhh..." I rolled over & slid down the wall, clutching my head in pain. My eyes closed & I woulda been finished, but then...  
  
"DAQ!! Don't give up!! Please, do it for me!!" Cutie was straining against her bindings, screaming her heart out. I didn't blame her... the spyders looked awfully hungry, & were closing in.  
  
I let go of my now throbbing head, & stood up, wobbling like crazy. "Think Daq, think. What other weapon do you have?" I looked about, hoping to see even a Sparkshooter, anything! But there was nothing, but me, the girls, & the hissing beasts. "I wish Cy were here... With her stats, & attack fork, throwing fire balls..."  
  
I lept up. "That's it!" Fire, why didn't I think of that before? The torches, the candles, perfect! And no way they'll be able to get out.  
  
I smiled my half-smile, reserved for when I know I'm right & am proud of it, then turned to the leader. "It's been fun, but I gotta run."  
  
Almost casually, I reached out a foot & knocked over a candle. The flame flickered, & I thought it went out. But, Cy's goddess, the Faerie of the Flames as she liked to refer to her as, must've smiled on me, cause it caught & quickly spread.  
  
The Spyders hated the light, & ran for the shadows at the top of the cavern. The flames crept up the walls, going after them. "DAQ!! HEEEEELP!!"  
  
That squeal from Luna got my feet moving in the right direction. I ran over, sliding a little on the slippery floor & squelched into the pool of crud, then began to tear at the rope with my nails. The stuff was tough, but not tougher than a scared usul. It frayed, then broke.  
  
Cutie & Luna fell to their knees, then shrugged off their bindings. We hurried to the tunnel, coughing in the smoke, running, not caring about slipping, or anything but getting away from that place.  
  
Once safely back in the comfort of my neohome, we all sat in silence, just staring at our feet. Finally, like she always does in a quiet time, Luna spoke, "I wanted to stay here & wait for you to come back."  
  
She smiled at me, her eyes shining with tears. And that got Cutie going...  
  
"Da-Da-Daq, I thought I was gonna n-n-n-never suh-suh-see you again!!" She started sobbing, & I gave her an awkward hug, wondering when she'd go back to normal, or whatever.  
  
"It's okay Cutie, umm... Don't cry. It's all over," I said, knowing very well that it wasn't. "I love you."  
  
She looked up at me, smiling & crying all at once. "I lo - "  
  
Her voice seemed to just fade away. Everything went all misty, then that faded away too...  
  
"YO! BRO!!"  
  
"YO! I SAID, YO!!"  
  
I heard a mumbled curse, then was back-handed sharply. "He ain't coming around... You sure did belt him."  
  
I opened my eyes, then was slapped again. "Huh? Is that you Cutie?" Then I hesantly squeeked, "Dez?"  
  
"No Sleeping Beauty, it's me, Cute." My vision cleared enough to reveal a fat disco bruce kneeling over me. I looked around, recognizing the checkered walls & floor. I was in the All-Pet's Cafe, which my family runs. Gathered around me were Mintz, Luna, Cy, Diva, Billy &... Cutie?  
  
"Did I hit him that hard?" Cutie asked no one in particular, looked worried.  
  
Mintz answered, "Naw, he's just a wuss!" He laughed, then went back behind the counter.  
  
I pushed myself up into a sitting position, lightly touching a swollen part of my cheek. "Awww, man!"  
  
Cutie flew over, then landed next to me. "Oh, I'm really, really sorry! I shouldn't let my temper do that - "  
  
"Cutie, are we married?" I asked suddenly.  
  
She looked furious, then raised her fist.  
  
I squinted, anticipating a black eye, but her fist was grabbed by Cute. Finally, she answered, "No! I'm married to Ruki!"  
  
"It was just a dream..." I said quietly.  
  
"What?" Her anger disappeared, now showing puzzlement.  
  
"Nothing, nothing. Would ya help me up already? Aw, never mind, I'll do it myself..."  
  
She jumped back from my neat hop up, then frowned & stood up. "You sure are acting like a jerk!"  
  
"That's me, Daq the Jerk..."  
  
THE END  
  
About the Story: This short involves characters from two accounts of mine Purple_Moon16 & Lovely_Luna16, my NeoFriend boy_c_r_a_z_y, (who owns Cutie(cut_e_dude), Diva (Diva_in_training), & Billy (lildudenamedBillyBob), thanks Mandy!!), my frozen NeoFriend cybunny_obsesse, (who owns Dez (Dezdaemona)), & my other NeoFriend darkness_of_death (who owns Cutie's actual husband, Ruki (Ruki_Shihono). All the events in this story didn't really happen, but Daq does still have feelings for Cutie. Hope you enjoyed it! 


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